Child Welfare Services
Our Youngest Generation: Birth to Five
Children birth to age five who have been abused or neglected are referred by DCS to assess their development and provide emotional, therapeutic, and educational support in a safe environment. We look at their bonding and attachment styles and exposure to unstable family environments that may include domestic violence or substance abuse. The younger we can intervene, the better the opportunity they will have to grow and be healthy.
Family Connections
Family Connections is a community-focused program designed to support families in their homes, ensuring the physical, emotional, and developmental needs of their children are met. This evidence-based initiative incorporates trauma-informed care, problem-solving strategies and an empowerment approach. Key components of the program include:
- Addressing basic and concrete needs
- Developing outcome-driven service plans
- Implementing change-focused interventions
Nurturing Parenting
Nurturing Parenting is a community-based, family-centered and trauma-informed program designed to strengthen parenting skills. The program helps parents develop nurturing practices and improve their understanding of child development, including setting appropriate expectations, fostering empathy for children’s needs, clarifying parent-child roles, utilizing non-violent discipline and supporting healthy child independence and empowerment. Core components of the program include:
- Comprehensive assessment
- Development of a personalized Family Nurturing Plan
- Parenting sessions featuring education and preparation of nurturing activities
- Observation of parent-child nurturing activities
- Debriefing sessions with parents following observations
Triple P
Triple P, which stands for Positive Parenting Program, empowers parents with the skills to raise confident, healthy children and teenagers while building strong family relationships. This evidence-based program helps parents effectively manage misbehavior, prevent parenting challenges before they arise and create a positive home environment.
Triple P can be delivered to individual families or in group settings. Backed by decades of international research, the program has been proven to prevent and address behavioral, emotional and developmental challenges in children by enhancing parents’ knowledge, skills and confidence. Program goals include:
- Strengthening communication around parenting challenges
- Building competence and confidence in parenting skills
- Reducing maladaptive attributions for children’s behavior
- Setting realistic expectations for children
- Encouraging self-regulation
Family Preservation
Our team provides intensive intervention that begins when a family is in crisis. The program strives to quickly increase safety and decrease the risk of abuse or neglect in order to avoid the removal of the children to foster care. Families participate in communication, budgeting and parenting training to build on their strengths and work to ensure success in keeping a strong, healthy family unit.
Family Reunification
We assist parents in Maricopa County who have children currently residing in foster care. Staff members protect the rights of children and work with them to create an environment that serves their needs. Parents receive training, case management and skill building. Staff, family, and DCS work as a team toward returning children home safely.
Parent Aide
JFCS provides in-home services to parents for improving parenting skills, communication, child development, nurturing and personal problem solving. In addition, we handle supervised visitation of families whose children have been removed by DCS due to abuse or neglect.
For more information, please call 602-257-9314.
